Have you given up on trying to find a natural deodorant because in your experience they don’t do anything for you but cost money? I did so quite some time ago. I don’t like to block my sweat ducts with chemicals, because I figure they have a job to do and I should let them do it. But I don’t like to smell bad. So I’d shower more and only use pit stick when I needed to wear something formal and polyester. Which worked. But not as good as this recipe works. This simple, 3-ingredient recipe works batcrap cray cray good. There’s nothing harmful in it, it’s super-cheap, it takes about 5 minutes to make, and it works so much better than store-bought I’m just in shock. I might never recover from how good this recipe is. I must share:

6 TBLSP coconut oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup baking soda

Seriously, that’s it. You just melt the coconut oil, stir the cornstarch and baking soda in, pour it into a little jar or Tupperware or what have you, and let it turn into a solid at room temperature, or stick it in the fridge to cool. Then you smear a little of the paste on wherever you get smelly. It’s amazing. I CANNOT STINK while wearing this stuff. I just cannot.

I know, you’re probably thinking: but Mama Flurfel, you must surely smell like a buttercup waving to a rainbow riding on a cloud. No, I do not. Not before now, anyway. And not during that last heat-wave. And neither does the husband and DEAR GOD IT WORKS ON HIM. He even threw away the Costco-pack of urinal-puck scented lymph-cloggers he invested in and replaced it with this 3-ingredient concoction. And he smells better than ever. Buttercups and rainbows, people.

But Mama Flurfel, where would I buy coconut oil? At the grocery store. I get it at Superstore. It’s cheaper in the Ethnic Foods aisle than in the Natural Foods aisle. Isn’t that the way? It’s also available in Costco size at, you know, Costco.

But Mama Flurfel, won’t it get my clothes greasy and stained? Not at all. Try it.

But Mama Flurfel, if I want to add my own patchouli or SAGE Goddess blend, can I? Of course. Bling it up with essential oils as you will.

But Mama Flurfel, won’t you make it for me? Darlink, I have seriously considered gifting this natural DIY deodorant to everyone I know and love, but gifting people with natural deodorant is a bit off. I mean… there’s so much room for misunderstanding there.

This photo was taken by our 9-year old daughter in our neighbourhood schoolyard. Edmonton is populated with Whitetail Jackrabbits which are snow-coloured when there is snow on the ground, and brown forest-floor coloured in the springtime when they are born. Can you spot it?

Camouflage is their game — Mother Jackrabbits leave their babies hidden in spots like these all day long so they don’t attract predators to them. In the city, people who find the babies worry they are abandoned and one of the big dangers is being “rescued.” The Edmonton Humane Society and Alberta Fish and Wildlife ask us to leave wild animals alone — the mothers know what they are doing.

I photographed this Great Horned Owl just across the street from us in Parkallen, Edmonton, Alberta. The crows on our block were upset about this visitor and screaming bloody murder, which drew our attention to this bark-coloured and silent raptor high in a mighty, old blue spruce.

This photo was taken on a road trip to the Badlands, just outside of Drumheller, Alberta. I’m using a telephoto lens to take the picture from our van window. I’m saying, from far away, “Hi, Sweetheart,” to the baby moose and s/he is looking to see who said that.

At the Lilypad, I am a frog, I live in a pond, my name is Lily, and I love to tell stories. That last part is true.

It’s an experiment in storytelling in the 21st century. It’s an experiment in building a digital audience and connecting with them. I’m not sure what will come of it, but I plan to stick with it to the iTune of one story a month for a couple of years. Why?

Well…one reason is that I think kids deserve access to stories that aren’t told by the companies that sell them toys. I believe wholesome, imaginative bedtime stories are a fundamental human need and a right too. Kids need stories.

I’ve also noticed that stories need kids. When I have an audience for stories, the stories come to me. If I don’t have a home for stories, the stories don’t come a’knockin’. The podcast is a doorway with a welcome mat set out for stories.

It’s quite quickly moved from being “my podcast” to being “our podcast,” as my 5-year old is very keen on contributing, and the older kids are beginning to move from the role of “critic” to “contributor” as well.